The Legend and her Followers
by DoYouEvenFanfic
Summary: SPOILER-FREE AFTER DIVERGENT I rebuilt the world differently than the author after her first book. Willow is the legendary daughter of Fourtris. So why does this matter? Everyone expects so much from her, and she doesn't relate to anyone until she meets Al, the son of Christina. My first fanfic, please review! It means a lot!
1. Chapter 1

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[This fanfic doesn't take place after Allegiant, the third book in the series. It takes place after Divergent, and I built the world differently than Veronica Roth after the first book ended.]

The choosing ceremony is always dead silent once the announcer asks for questions. Not even the Candor talk, which must be difficult. Still, the silence is haunting. And before I know it, I'm raising my hand. While a lady at the front scans the audience for hands. Once she sees mine, a look of confusion crosses her face. "Yes?" She finally says warily.

"Um," I try to make my voice loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. "Does choosing Dauntless come with a free relationship?" Laughter all around, a bit held back but still satisfying enough. Of course, I was telling the legendary story of Four and Tris. Or, as most call it, Fourtris. Interesting enough, they were both Abnegation-born and Dauntless-transferred. But his isn't their story; it's mine.

Back to the present, the announcer rolls her eyes, probably at the endless blabbing of Candor girls like me. That's right, I'm one of them. I'm not necessarily proud of it, but it is what it is. My Aptitude Test told me that I would be good in Erudite. I'm not proud of that either, I mean, Erudite have a pretty bad reputation for ruining the faction system before the Rebuilding. They've obviously changed their ways, but they still get some nasty looks from Abnegation. Their selfless souls are nice enough to give... glares and criticism. All hard feelings aside, they did host the legendary Fourtris until they were sixteen, so they're okay in my book. Even the most conceited of souls agree that Fourtris is better than them. Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent again.

I watch as an Amity boy swaggers up to the podium, dumping a drop of fresh blood onto the soil representing his home faction's agricultural background. I lean forward in my seat, knowing my name is next. My name is close to the end of the ceremony. Lucky for me, initiates have long since dozed off and stopped paying attention.

"Willow Eaton," my name is called. Yes, Eaton, as in Tobias Eaton. I'm his daughter. And Beatrice; she's my mother. At least there was a good reason why I kept bringing up Fourtris. To be honest, I wasn't even supposed to know this. The government thought I would be too "legendary" so they were going to wipe my memory. But that would kind of screw up the idea if a serum-less nation. There's only one serum allowed here; the Divergence serum. A skilled team of Erudites came up with it, and it makes any genetically damaged folk into divergents. The government can't control us anymore. It's not like it would have mattered to me. I'm the daughter of two divergents. When I was young, they put me in Candor (randomly chosen) while my parents went off to fight.

Snapping out of the flashback, I suddenly find myself at the table. I can feel my heart pounding, so distracting that I don't feel the pain of my hand, recently cut by the knife on the table. I watch blood swells into a full drop, clinging to my hand for a solid moment before it falls. Into the bowl of which I was holding my hand over. Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite. Wait, which one did I choose? It happened so fast. Finally the word of the announcer brings me out of my trance. "Dauntless." I stare at her blankly. That's right. I had put my hand over the bowl with burning coals. Did I hear her correctly? Upon looking, I see a drop of thick red blood slowly disappearing into blackened coals. So I did choose Dauntless.

Surprised, I turn around. The Dauntless section of the crowd is cheering wildly. I don't have anyone to look back at as I make my way to them, and an excited initiator shakes my hand, slapping me on the back. "Just like her parents." I briefly hear someone yell the words before I sit down in one of the empty Dauntless seats. I begrudgingly sit through the rest of the ceremony, until the announcer finally tells us to leave. I stay for a minute, watching the factions. Four of them an orderly line of citizens, and one stampeding outside... In fact, I should probably start running. So I do.

I could go on and tell you about initiation, but I'll spare you the trouble in a very montage-like group of sentences. First the jump onto the train, then the jump through the roof. I wasn't the first jumper; that was a Dauntless-born. Physical training was alright, and mental was easy, considering we're all divergent. And, unlike my mother, I haven't found a relationship yet. Speaking of my mother and father, they should be coming back any week now. I got the news from one of the Dauntless initiators. Uncle Caleb also calls me every day, bringing me news and fun chatter. Okay, that should be it for the montage.

Today is game day, when Dauntless go out through the city playing meaningless games to display bravery and strength. In the beginning, every initiate can choose which games to take part in. I, being the daughter of Fourtris, chose capture the flag. But one thing you won't see me doing is climbing the Ferris wheel. I'm deathly afraid of heights. Once the game begins, dusk is creeping onto Chicago. Within thirty minutes, I guess, the world would be dark. My group is pretty decent, but they think I'm underrated and should be on scout duty, since my parents... Well, you know.

"No," I insist. "I'll hide the flag." Once the group reluctantly agrees, I dart off into the city's almost-darkness.

"Wait!" I suddenly hear from behind me. I load my gun and turn around, ready for a sudden attack. As soon as I see the blue glow stick hanging from his belt, I lower the weapon.

"Be quiet," I hiss in his ear. "Do you want them to find us?" Through the faint lights seeping through the windows of buildings above, I can make out an outline of his face. Strong, determined features, yet with a light and playful look in his eyes. Intriguing, yet mysterious.

"I was told to follow you for backup," the boy whispers. "Do you mind if I tag along?" He slings his gun over his shoulder. I blush, and force my eyes to look away from him.

"No, no, I don't mind," I say, trying to keep my voice quiet yet confident. Again I find myself staring at his face.

"So where should we hide the flag?" he asks after what must have been a minute.

"Oh! That's right," I say. We run into the darkness of the night, eventually finding an old work garage, way past long abandoned. The boy shuts the door behind us as I search the shelves leaned against the wall, feeling my way through the darkness. He sees my trouble and flicks on a light. I'm pleasantly surprised by the fact that it works. We're still panting from the run, but the boy brought water. He takes a sip and offers it to me, so I waterfall some into my mouth instead of letting my lips touch it. We end up deciding to stuff the flag into a rusty oil can, so we can have unpredictability on our side. We turn off the light and duck into a corner to hide. We wouldn't want passerby to see us and wonder what's being guarded.

"Where are you from?" I ask, a bit too suddenly. He doesn't seem fazed by it, though.

"I'm pure Dauntless," he says slowly. "And you?" Wait, he doesn't know who I am? That's a nice change.

"Candor," I reply.

"My mother was a Candor, before the choosing."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He clears his throat, and I change my position so I'm hugging my knees against the wall. "How much do you know about Fourtris?" He looks at me, waiting for an answer. I feel like laughing.

"Quite a bit," I decide, smiling. He continues.

"Do you know about Tris' friend, Christina?" Finally it clicks.

"Your mom!" I exclaim. "You're Albert!" Named after the suicidal initiate of my parents' generation. He nods, smiling slightly.

"Call me Al. And it's so annoying when people assume I'm a legend," he tells me.

"Yup, it's so irritating," I agree. Then I realize what I said. "Um, I mean..."

Al stops me. "I know who you are, Willow. Named after who your mother killed. Four and Tris, they're your parents. And you Candor are bad liars." He sighs. I nod meaninglessly. I should have known. We sit in silence for more than a moment, before a twig snaps towards the door. I rest my hand on my gun, listening for anything.

"-would have guarded it," one voice says.

"But I saw it glowing," another insists. I look to the can, where sure enough, a faint blue light protrudes. I silently curse, regretting the fact that I hadn't put the cap on. I lift my gun, ready to shoot, when Al pushes it down. Confused, I lower it. Why wouldn't he want me to shoot? Was he trying to betray me? I look to his waist, at his glow stick. But it's not blue, it's orange. I look into his eyes, where a sly smirk crosses his face. He's on the other team?

I whip my head around, where two orange team members are staring; confused at the blue glow stick they'd pulled out of the can. Not a flag. Al laughs, standing up, armed with a gun. I can see my team's blue flag tucked into the pocket of his black Dauntless pants. Before I can take action, he aims his gun at me. Trying to act afraid, I back against the wall. "See how you can't trust anyone?" Al says tauntingly.

"Yeah," I reply defiantly. Suddenly, I swing my leg around, tripping Al. His weapon falls and I snatch it up, yanking my flag out of his pocket. Hurriedly, I shoot him in the leg with his own gun. When he cries out in pain, I quickly fire at the two Dauntless in the shed. I lock the shed door from the outside, just for good measure.

I stare at the open landscape, where a blue-against-orange war has broken out. I watch peacefully until one of my team members holds up an orange flag which means we won. I smile and unlock the shed, where Al and the other initiates are waiting. "Game's over," I tell them before they draw their guns.

"Nice job, Willow. No hard feelings, right?" says Al. But there's something in his eye... A shot rings out and I fall to my knees. Pain blossoms in my left calf, and I cry out.

"Should've... Moved... Knew you were lying..." I manage to blubber. At least we're even. He must think this, too, because he pulls the neuro-stim dart out of my leg and helps me up, lauhing all the while.

"Only lasts a few minutes," he tells me.

"So can we wait a minute?" I groan, leaning against a wall for support.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," he says, making his way to me. Al throws his arm around me, pulling me close to him. My heart begins to beat faster as he pulls my arm so that it's around him, and we are holding each other so I can walk with one foot. He smiles at me, and I smile back weakly. As I half-limp toward the Dauntless compound, we talk about our parents.

"What if they saw us now, being friends and all," Al says, and we laugh. Friends, I absently think.

"And shooting each other?" I comment. "How friendly." I can see that we're approaching the compound, and the pain in my calf has been dying down. We stop walking.

"Well, we don't exactly have to be friends," Al says nonchalantly, looking into my eyes. I notice that he's still holding me, even though I've put my left leg on the ground. Though chatter from the pit rings out loud and clear, I can't help but thinking it's awfully silent in here. Al suddenly coughs, letting go of me. We separate, and I blush furiously. "Well, good night, Willow," he says, ducking away into the crowd before I can reply.

My sleep tonight is disturbed by nightmares. First, I watch in horror as a teenage boy throws himself off the chasm. Chills run up my spine as my young mother walks in to his dead body, knowing that she had lost a dear friend. He must have been Al. Then the landscape dissipates into the streets of Chicago. Who I assume is Will runs toward my mom, and she is forced to shoot him. I try to look away, but I can't. I watch his body crumple onto the dead street and I cry out in terror. When I wake up, I'm sweating and my heart is racing. To my relief, I'm back in the bed of my apartment. I push my head into my pillow until my breathing slows and I feel awake. Time to get ready for the day.

"Wow!" My friend Flora says when she sees me. "You slept in for once. Did you have a rough night? Stuck in an existential crisis again?" Before I can answer any of her questions, Al approaches us. I hear Flora gasp. "Oh my gosh, the legends are together! Can you believe it? I would totally ship you guys! You're so cute together, I'll leave you alone but I'll be right back, okay bye!" She says, all in one breath, bolting away from us once she's done.

"Ugh, Candor," Al mumbles, crinkling his nose in disgust. "Terrible." I elbow him in the arm. "Oh come on Willow, I didn't mean it." He looks at me, seeming to be begging for forgiveness.

"Alright, fine," I tell him. "I won't kill you today." He laughs at my joke, even though it wasn't that funny.

"I'm gonna go get some lunch, wanna come?" I nod and we walk to the Dauntless café together. As we walk, we talk about pointless things like the tattoo parlor and new initiates. Suddenly, mid-conversation, Al freezes, his eyes locked on something behind me, since I have my back towards the window, it must be something outside. I turn around. A war plane sat on the pavement, small and equipped with guns. There are people jumping out of it, even though the drop has to be over ten feet. So what's so interesting? Wait, the people jumping out of the plane. They're...

Suddenly I find myself bolting out the door alongside Al. People turn their attention to us. Time stops when I stare into my parents' eyes. I throw myself into their arms. "Mom," I gasp through heavy breathing. "Dad." I pull away to look at them, the two people I love more than anything else, even if I haven't seen them for eight years.

My mother is as beautiful as ever, my father looking handsome and strong. For a second we're speechless, stunned by each other's presence. "You're Dauntless," my mom finally says. "I know," I say, overcome with emotion. My dad laughs.

"Thank God you didn't stay in Candor." I smile, remembering on the stories how Christina had been yelled at by my dad for being snappy. Wait, Christina. I look to my right, where Al was reuniting with his parents; Christina and some distant relative of Will's. "Have you met Albert yet?" Asks Dad, following my gaze. I nod.

"We were just having lunch together." When he raises an eyebrow, I know I've said the wrong thing.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to go off with some Dauntless guy you just met when you're new and he's not?" He scolds me, then looks at my mother. "Oh wait..." We all laugh at the irony. My mother places a hand on my cheek.

"You're so grown up, Willow." I place my hand over hers, starting into her eyes, remembering my dreams. She's been through so much. And my dad, he's been abused and mistreated, used and misunderstood. We hug again, before we're told by the military director that my parents have to go through security before they can see me again. They promise to meet at the Ferris wheel tonight.

Al and I walk back to the café together, where we're immediately pointed out by Flora. I groan and Al laughs.

"Where were you guys?" She says, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrows.

"We were just talking to our families, you know, the ones we haven't seen in eight years." Albert shrugs. "No big deal."

The rest of the day went off smoothly; I prepared my apartment for my parents' visit, and then Al and I decide to wait at the Ferris wheel, since that was where they'd said they'd meet us. The sun was just starting to set, and the sky was filled with beautiful watercolors. The bench that we are sitting on is cool, and the air is thin and refreshing. I haven't said a word, and neither has he. Silence creeps across the city. Time ticks by.

Al yawns, stretching his arm out. It doesn't land by his side, though. It lands across my shoulders, resting on the bench. What. Just. Happened. He must see me freeze, because he starts to lower it. "No! Er, I mean, uh... It's fine. Nice, actually." Well that was a legitimate sentence.

"That's good to hear, coming from a Candor," Al says.

"I'm Dauntless," I reply, almost bitterly. As you may have noticed, I'm in no rush to remember my past. Candor isn't who I am. It's who I was.

"That's right," says Al. "Sorry." I shrug in response, not-so-accidentally shrugging his hand off my shoulder. He looks down and I clear my throat uncomfortably. The awkwardness is tangible; I can feel it in the air. Lucky for me, I won't have to sit through it for much longer.

I can see Four and Tris, alongside Christina and her husband of which I've never met. They're laughing and joking about some story, having a grand old time while their children watch. When they finally see us, we leap up from the bench. I run into my parents' arms once again, this time hanging on for a little longer. "You're staying here for real, right?" I ask, still clinging to them like a homesick puppy.

"Yes, Willow," my father tells me. I grin, a genuine smile out of happiness. My parents are here- and they're staying. Forever. When we separate, my parents look up at the huge Ferris wheel, marveling at its height.

"Can you believe we climbed that?" My mom says to Four. He just laughs nervously, probably remembering the moment. Then he gestures to the wheel.

"You wanna go climb that, Willow?" His words echo across the empty landscape. I shake my head forcefully and take a step away from it. He smiles slightly. "Neither did I." That must have been where I got that fear.


	2. Chapter 2

We end up spending most of the night at the Ferris wheel, just chatting about old times and stories. When we get to the cafeteria for some Dauntless cake, my parents get mobbed by paparazzi. It's not like we didn't see it coming, though, the press would've been breathing down their necks anyway. I've tried to ignore Al as much as I could; it seems like all he sees me as is a Candor.

While I walk my parents to their apartment, Al appears behind us in the hallway. I can hear his footsteps, but I don't turn around. _He isn't worth it._ I can hear him clear his throat, which causes my whole family to turn around, including me. "What do you want?" I hiss. He seems a bit taken aback by my angered tone.

"I think we need to talk," he says calmly. I bite my tongue to prevent breaking down in front of my parents. The last thing I want is to be portrayed as an ignorant Candor girl.

"Okay" is my response. I hug my parents and turn back to face Al while they leave. "Well?"

"I wanted to apologise." He says it slowly, choosing every word carefully. "I don't think of you as a Candor, I really don't." Somehow this makes me angrier.

"So now Candor is an insult, yeah?" My eyes shoot poison into his, my words bitter and cold. He looks at me sadly, begging for forgiveness. Those eyes…

"Please." His one word decides it.

"Fine!" I burst. "But if one more time, you insult me or my old faction, I will not be happy." Not the most terrifying threat, but it will have to do. Immediately, his face lights up.

"Oh, thank you, Willow!" His comment is followed by the most out-of-place hug I have ever experienced; and not to mention awkward. He must find it weird, too, because he immediately pulls away. "I didn't mean… to… uh…" he scratches the back of his neck and looks down. The sudden change of emotion is cute, like a kitten jumping in and out of a box. I can't help but laugh.

"Hey, don't laugh at me!" He scolds, playfully punching my arm. "It's not my fault I'm extremely socially awkward at times."

"But also cute." Wait, _what _did I just say? Oh god, my Candor insticts suck. I try to cover up by saying, "I just meant, like…" but it overlaps with him saying "you too." The hallway is silent. Al smirks, obviously finding pleasure in this weird conversation.

"How about I walk you home, Willow?" He offers. I smile gratefully.

"Sure."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The walk is surprisingly quiet, despite the fact that we're once again friends. When I finally get to my apartment, Al gives an awkward salute and heads off down the hallway. Once safely inside my home, I have no intention of staying awake for much longer; the past two days have been way too crazy. As soon as I flop onto my bed, I'm asleep.

-PAGE BREAK-

I'm woken up by a knock on my door. Annoyed by the disruption of my sleep, I ignore the constant pounding. Unless it's Flora, the visitor will remain outside. My door unlocks. Just my luck. "What?" I groan once I hear the door open. She sits on the edge of my bed.

"Get up, get _up, _sleepyhead!" She begins to bounce up and down until I'm fully awake, or what seems like it anyway. I toss a pillow at her head, and a full Dauntless-style pillow fight ensues. When we're too tired to continue, we agree to meet up at the cafeteria for breakfast. I get ready for the day and head down to meet her.

"Where were you for game day?" she questions, wide awake and sipping some orange juice. "You weren't in my group, so I'd assumed you had ditched or something."

I put my fork down after swallowing my bite of chocolate cake. "You really think of me as a coward?" I didn't mean for it to come out as rough, but that's how it must have sounded. The table quiets, their attention focused on me. If I take back what I said, I'll just look like more of a coward. I skewer some more cake. "I was at capture the flag," I finally reply blankly.

"Wow, someone's grouchy today!" She says it in the same excited tone she says everything with. Sometimes I wish our old Candor habits died. I mean, if they did, I woudn't be feeling so mad at Flora. I decide not to reply and finish my food quickly, grabbing an apple to eat up in my apartment. On my way out, I bump into my parents.

"Hello." It's the best greeting I can manage. I'm sleep-deprived and grumpy, but I try to seem awake and alert.

"Hi, Willow!" I smile at the way their eyes light up when they see me. Maybe this wouldn't be the worst day ever. "They better still be serving chocolate cake after eight years," mutters my dad, crossing his arms jokingly.

"They do!" I lead them away to the food tables, and they eat while we talk some more. I enjoy my time with them.

"So, have you been talking to uncle Caleb?" My mother asks me. I nod, telling her that I've been talking to him almost every day.

"He really understands me," I tell them. "I got my Erudite aptitude from him." I pause, realising I haven't told them about my test results. "About that... I kind of got Erudite on my test." Their reaction isn't quite what I expected.

"Wow, honest, smart, then brave," Dad says. "You're our true divergent." My mother flinches a little aat the mention of the word, and she must have noticed my looking.

"Back in our day, divergents were hunted," she explains. "But times have changed." I nod, remembering the stories. We continue talking, spending hours at the cafe. When we're finished, they say they're taking a tour around the compound to see what has changed. We say we'll see each other later, then part ways. I decide to take a walk myself. Before I know it, I'm lost in the streets of Chicago.

It's a relaxing lost, really peaceful as the sun climbs higher in the sky. I can see the Ferris wheel's faint outline in the distance, so I decide to make my way back using it as a reference point.

When I'm almost there, I hear an unsettling groan from the shadows buildings are scattering on the ground. Scared, my head whips around. What if it's a zombie murderer, out for my brains? _No, can't be. _I've been reading too many books lately.

I reach in my pockets for a weapon, but all I can find is the apple I'd saved for later. I pull it out anyway, I could always throw it at my attacker's head. A figure begins to escape the darkness, and I hold my apple above my head. _Hardcore Dauntless girl, with the solitary weapon of a fruit._

The now visible figure is in dirty, tattered clothes. She is extremely skinny, with her eyes locked on my apple. _Factionless. _Without a second thought, I roll the fruit to her like a bowling ball. Surprised, she picks it up. "Thank you," she croaks quietly, before sulking back into the darkness.

"Wow," I hear from behind me. I turn around to see who it is.

"Do you, like, follow me or something?" I ask Albert.

"That was really selfless," he says, evading the question. "You sure you aren't cut out for Abnegation?" I shrug. _I am selfish. I am brave, _I think absently. Best not to bring that up, I would probably get a reputation for quoting my mother. Nothing against her, it's just that I want to be known as my own person. "Well?" Al snaps me out of my daydream.

"Oh! Sorry, what did you say?"

"Isn't it nice, finally seeing our parents?"

"Oh yeah, definitely," I stuff my hands in my pockets.

A/N Sorry for the kind of pointless filler chapter, I just wanted to update the fact that Willow is just like her father, in trying to be selfless, honest, smart, brave, and peaceful. Wait, when will she be peaceful? Maybe the next chapter. Maybe. ;) Any comments, requests, complaints, or coupons you can share with me, you know! I won't bite! Most of the time...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When I walk to the cafeteria the next day, it's much quieter than usual. Once I sit down at my table, nobody can look me in the eye. It's all very mysterious; not even Flora will talk to me. I can't help but think she looks different when she isn't talking. I decide to use this opportunity to mock her.

"Someone's grouchy this morning," I say. I couldn't help it. She just looks up at me. Her expression is unreadable. Now that I look around, so is everyone else's. "What happened?" Silence. "What happened?!" I demand, slamming my fist onto the table.

"It's Peter," she finally tells me. "He got into a fight with your dad."

"What? Where?" I stand up, ready to bolt out of the door.

"No! Don't go. Last time I checked, they were giving each other black eyes. You dad ranked top in his class, he'll be fine."

"I'm going," I say more forcefully.

"It's not worth it," says a voice behind me. I turn around, immediately recognising Peter's son, Xander. He slowly steps towards me, trying to be intimidating, I guess. "Your daddy's probably already dead."

"No," I hiss. "My dad could beat yours in a fight any day." This I'm certain of. My dad could have been recruited as the Dauntless leader several times.

"Let's go check, shall we?" He's trying to by sly. I take him up on his offer and head to the pit, determined to see Xander when he has to rescue his dad.

The Pit looks as boring as always, with one exception. A giant crowd is formed in a small circle, facing the fight. My dad and Xander's are circling each other, ready to throw punches. Four has a bruise on his forehead, while Peter's nose is covered in dried blood. I gasp. This looks pretty intense.

Someone in the crowd must see Xander and I, because I suddenly see the men turn to face us. "Willow?" My dad questions. I nod slowly and halfheartedly wave.

"Hey," says Peter. "Why don't we let the pipsqueaks fight?" _What did he just say?_ Oh, no. I am not fighting a Dauntless-born. It's not like I have a death wish. Yet.

"No." My say comes out before I can stop it.

"Why not?" Xander ridicules. "You a coward?" He stands back, as if expecting for the crowd to go "Ooooooh." It makes me want to punch him in the face so much more. Still, I refuse.

"No." Upon my response, Xander bubbles up with anger. I guess he just craves fighting. Before I can think anything else, he lunges at me, his fist making contact with my face. Normally, I would stand by my opinion, but this guy deserves to get his face punched in. My face stings with pain, fueling my anger.

He looks at me expectantly. If he learned to fight from his father, he should step before he punches, so I keep my eyes on his feet. When I see them move, I duck out of the way. He looks like he wants to kill me. I'll be surprised if he doesn't.

A/N

Dun, dun, DUNNNNNNN! Well, I had to make chapter four about Willow's dad, so yeah. What happens next? I'll keep you updated. But first, I have to tell you about a review I got. It said none other than, "LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT PLEASE CONTINUE." Thank you very much, mystery guest! I'm legit jumping for joy right now. I will continue, so that's good. I LOVE YOU


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I wake up in the hospital. Well, the medical room to be exact. _What happened to me?_ I glance around, but I'm the only one here. A nurse walks past the doorway, glancing inside. When she sees that I have awoken, I try to straighten up in the bed. _Ouch. _A sore pain runs throughout my body. _What happened to me? _I give up on trying to sit up.

My father's head appears in the doorway. "Come in," my voice sounds strangled and weak. He sits at a chair next to my bed. A bruise still covers his forehead, reminding me of yesterday's events.

"You feeling okay?" he asks, staring at me intently. I shrug in response, while met with a screeching pain in my shoulders. I try to think about my actions last night. What _do _I remember? Xander was there. He became angered when I dodged his punch... Oh.

_He took a step back, his eyes looking mischevious and outraged. I really didn't want to fight him, but not because I was a coward. There really was no reason to get into a full-out battle, and I didn't feel like giving in to the peer pressure of the Dauntless members._

_ "I'm not fighting you," I said strongly, still holding my hands out to protect from incoming attacks. "Not right now."_

_ "Why? You afraid?" He must have craved a fight. I looked away, planning my escape route. There was a small gap in the crowd. If I could catch Xander off guard... "Well?"_

_ "Xander," I tried to reason with him. "Why have war when it's sensible to have peace?" I have to say, he did look pretty confused then._

_ "Then why didn't you choose Amity?" he asked, putting a hand in his pocket. Okay, I guess he wanted to have a conversation. But the gleam in his eye told me something different. I glanced at the hand in his pocket. He was slowly pulling something out. His fingers were wrapped around a strong black handle._

_ Not waiting to think twice, I tried to run. To my dismay, the gap in the crowd had closed, and I found myself stuck. I turn around to find Xander, lashing out at me with a knife. The closest member of our audience, must have pushed me away, because I don't remember making the decision to move._

_ The knife still cut me, though, a fine line across the right side of my forehead. Someone grabbed Xander from behind, and I suddenly felt extremely dizzy. I remember falling..._

"He was trying to kill me," I say, matter-of-factly. "He was trying to kill me."

"It's okay, they have him locked up and under truth serum," my dad explains. They still keep some truth serum around for court cases. I nod, trying to understand. I would have been dead if I hadn't moved. Or someone hadn't moved me. The whole memory seems foggy and unclear.

"What was the fight even about? With you and Peter?"

My father frowns. "It was nothing, Willow." He lies. Enough time in Candor can tell me that much. I just pretend I believe him and nod. "Well, I gotta go, but once you're feeling better, let the nurse know and she'll let you go home."

Once he's gone, I push my face into the pillow. _I could be dead right now,_ the thought runs through my head though I am trying to forget it. I hear a loud knock on the door. Ugh, more visitors? Before I can call out my consent, it opens.

"I'm here!" It's Flora. I flop over so I'm facing the door. Al is standing awkwardly behind her. "And I brought your boyfriend!"

"We're not-"

"Okay, your guy friend. Same difference," she says, looking at him, then me. I can feel myself blush.

"How are you feeling?" Al inturrupts the conversation. I shrug, once again forgetting that I'm temporarily disabled in every part of my body. He sees me cringe. "Not too well, I assume?"

"Nope." My voice still sounds like a croak.

"Willow, guess what?" Flora jumps up and down excitedly. Before I can respond, she continues onward. "Xander was found guilty of attempted murder!"

I don't know why this is so exciting to her. I mean, wasn't it obvious?

"Thank got it was _attempted _murder," says Al. "If I hadn't pushed you out of the way-"

"That was you?" My life had been in the hands of the guy I had met not three days ago?

He smiles proudly in response. "Yup. I saw the knife in his pocket at breakfast, so I kind of followed him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid."

"Aw! Al saved Willow's life! Isn't that adorable!" Leave it to Flora to ruin the moment. If there was a moment. Which there wasn't. I mean, not really. I suppose. Maybe.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? I know we would all miss her if something happened," he replies, making my face turn even redder. Flora raises an eyebrow at him, as if to say, "especially you." This time it's his turn to be embarrassed.

"You guys better go," I say to break the awkwardness. "I still have to recover, and I need sleep, so-"

"Liar!" Flora accuses, reminding me to watch what I say around her. "You can't exit out of uncomfortable conversations by just telling us to leave! Oh no, we knew you would be bored all day, so we came to play Candor or Dauntless!

I stare at her, confused. "You know, truth or dare?" she explains. I nod in recognition, a clever twist on the game if I do say so myself.

"Let's begin," Flora says, and my two visitors sit down. "Willow, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Candor." My answer stumps Flora. I'm prepared for something brutal and unanswerable, but Flora surprises me with an easy question.

"If you had a chance to take anything back, what would it be?"

"Becoming friends with you."

"Ha-ha." I'm met with a glare. "Really." I tell her that I wouldn't change everything. Otherwise, I might not be here. They laugh at my incredible corny answer.

"Al, Candor or Dauntless?" I ask. He grins, and I swear, if he wasn't already famous for his parents, he'd be famous for his smile.

"Dauntless." His answer doesn't surprise me. Knowing exactly what I want him to do, I gesture for him to come in close so I can whisper the dare.

"Go catch a worm and put it on Flora's head," I whisper, covering my mouth with one hand so she doesn't see and spoil the surprise. Al laughs and opens the window to my left, stepping out and closing it behind him.

"He could've just taken the door," mutters Flora. "But I guess that would be too mainstream." We chat for the next five minutes or so, when Al sneaks back in through the door. The worm he's holding is long and gooey, the best candidate for the prank. Flora doesn't feel a thing as he drops it into her head.

"Did you do it?" I ask, to add authenticity. Flora turns around, noticing Al. He nods mischievously. "Okay, then we can continue."

"Flora, Candor or Dauntless?" Al asks her.

"Candor."

"Who do you like?" Upon his response, Flora smiles secretively.

"I'll tell if you do."

To my surprise, Al nods his head, understanding the deal. He gestures for her to go first.

"Okay." She glances around to make sure nobody's watching. You know, the secret hunters located in hospitals that hide behind every door. "Zane." She immediately covers her mouth with her hand.

Zane was the fight instructor for our group of initiates. Flora instantly fell in love the moment she saw him. It wasn't much of a surprise to me, though. "Your turn, Al."

"Okay. I like... Wait, what's that on your head?" Nice move, Al. Flora places a hand on her hair suspiciously, squishing the worm. Squealing, she bolts out the door, leaving Al and I in fits of laughter.

When we finally calm down, I use the opportunity to attempt to acquire some gossip. "Well, you never answered," I say casually.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

He looks at me, as if contemplating whether or not to answer. "And you can't lie," I add. "I can tell if you do." He nods. I sit back, waiting for an answer.

"I don't really like anyone," he admits. I sigh.

"I thought I told you _not_ to lie," I remind him, sitting up in my bed despite the pain.

"Well maybe I don't wanna tell you?"

"So there is someone?"

"Maybe." He sits down, satisfied with ending the conversation there. Not me, though.

"Come on, you can tell me!" I try to convince him. He doesn't seem so sure, ignoring my plea.

"You feeling any better?"

"Oh, come _on, _Al!" I'm getting nowhere with him.

"No, I was just asking, 'cause..." He points to an overhead camera. I nod slowly, and then we sneak outside into the daylight. To my surprise, he leads me to the Ferris wheel. I stare at it, and even seeing its height makes me feel dizzy. A slight breeze is picking up, and we stop at a bench near the wheel.

It's the same bench where Al had put his arm around me. _Wait! _I had completely forgotten about that! I knew it had been more than a friendly gesture. We stand awkwardly, facing each other. "So..." Al begins. "I guess I should tell you now."

I can hardly speak, but somehow manage to nod. Suddenly everything seems huge. The trees, the wheel, the space between us... _Wait, what did I just think?_ I'm, like, a foot away from him at the most. But now, a foot seems like a mile. "Okay, ready?"

Once I nod, he moved hi lips towards my ear. When I expect him to sstart whispering, he does something I would have never expected. His hand lifts and softlyy urns my head, so I'm facing him. I'm confused for barely half a moment, before the truly unexpected happens.

His hand still on my cheek, he leans forward. His lips touch mine. The trees, the wheel, the space between us... They all disappear. I don't pull away. I'm aware of nothing but the kiss.

How long has it been?

A second?

A minute?

_Not long enough,_ I think as we pull away. At first we say nothing, letting silence do the talking. "Well, that was, um..." He smiles. It's a cute smile, a smile with his eyes, too. It's funny that I now notice these things.

"I guess I know who you like now," I finally say.

"And I know about you." He looks at me and is about to say something more, but it cut off by a faint yell in the distance. When we turn to face the source, we see our parents, sprinting at us like we're on a police chase.

When they reach us, they're steaming with anger. Christina goes off to yell at Al, and I wait for what my parents have to say.

"You didn't check out of the medical room! We just came in and suddenly you weren't there! You're lucky they didn't send a search party!"

_Seems like they did, _I think, but fight my Candor instict to say it. My dad suddenly stops yelling, squinting his eyes as if he's trying to figure something out.

"Wait. What were you two doing here anyway?" He looks over at Al. I try to hide my blush. I assume Al is doing the same.

"Just talking," we chorus, a bit too fast. Though it causes a few eyebrows to raise, we should be safe from further interrogation.

AN- Wow, I hopoe this chapter made you fangirl as much as I did! XD So, anyhoo, funny story time! I was writing this chapter at play practice, right, and so a guy walked by and I shoved it into my script. Then he stopped and asked if he could use my script to figure something out. And he picked it up and I was like noooooooo and then he gave me a weird look and went to use someone else's. Yeah.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I spend the rest of the day at the hospital before they deem me free to go. Flora and Al meet me at the pit that night.

"I swear, that worm juice is impossible to get off hair!" Flora complains, shaking her head. "You guys are so mean." She then turns her attention to me. "They sent out a search party for you earlier, yeah?"

I feel a blush creeping across my face. "I just went to get some fresh air."

She gives me the 'you're lying' look in response. "No wonder you didn't show aptitude for Candor. How'd you get Erudite anyway?"

Thank god she gets off track easily. "Something about strategy and the way people think," I say, distracting her from the previous topic even more. "So what're we gonna do today?"

She doesn't answer me, stepping away slowly as if taunting me to come after her. She suddenly breaks out into a full-out sprint, and Al and I try to rush after her. The cool wind feels nice on my face, and a few stars are starting to appear in the dark sky. I feel the buildings rush past us, the faces watching us from out of their apartment windows.

"Okay," Flora pants. "We're here." I look forward. A building. I look up. _This is a pretty tall building_. "They used to call it the Hancock," she explains. I instantly freeze, remembering the story of my mom. She had zipined off it. Flora must have seen me stiffen, because she laughs. "Don't worry, we're not gonna force you to do anything. At least go to the top with us."

After reluctantly agreeing, I'm dragged into an elevator, which, I shouldn't neglect to mention, is another one of my fears.

Small space + Rising into the sky = Not my favorite.

It seems like an endless amount of time before we finally reach the roof. As we step onto the solid cement, I suddenly realize how high up we are. Ferocious winds whip our hair around, and it feels about ten degrees colder. I stare out into the city, where lights dot every corner of my vision. It would be quite beautiful, if I ignored the fearful dizzy feeling inside of me.

Flora rushes straight to the zipline to meet some other Dauntless who had beat us here. It's not long before I can hear her screams echoinng off the buildings, getting further and further away. I turn to Al, who's standing by the edge.

"Can you believe this?" He seems excited about being here. I try to smile.

"Are you gonna zipline?" I ask casually, secretly hoping he'll stay here with me.

"No." He walks towards me, putting his hands on my arms, looking straight into my eyes. "I have other plans." His mysterious response gets my heart beating faster. His eyes carry a content expression. I continue watching his eyes. Suddenly, something changes. He squints at me, almost angrily. Confused, I step back.

"Al?"

He doesn't even respond to me saying his name. He jolts forward, grabbing my arm and twisting it backward. I don't give myself time to think, I'm lashing out, swinging elbows behind me until I feel a swing make contact. _Did he really think he could take advantage of my trust?_ I feel a stab of betrayal.

Al is on the ground, coughing up blood. I can feel tears rise in my eyes. Unable to let him see me like this, I start walking to the elevator. I only get a few steps over to it, however, before I'm grabbed from behind. An arm wraps around my neck. I cough and sputter, but it stays around me. I even try to kick; no use.

"Don't scream." It sounds like Al's voice, but it can't be. It's cold and lifeless. He lifts me up and starts carrying me toward the edge of the building. _No. No no no no no._ More tears run down my face as I try to scream, even though he warned me not to. My cry comes out as a strangled growl.

We're now at the edge of the building. He's holding me above the edge, so there's nothing below me but cold, hard ground. I try to look into Al's eyes, but I don't see any sign of emotion. _Face the facts, Willow. You're going to die._ Have I lived long enough? What about all the things I wanted to do? _Well, too late now, I suppose._

And I'm falling. All too quick. My face hits something hard. _Well, that was a short fall. _Am I dead? I suddenly realize my eyes are closed, and open them. My face is pressed to hard cement, the same material as the roof. _Am I still on the roof?_ A strong gust of wind confirms my question. I immediately leap up, realizing I'm alive.

Al is to my left, on the ground again. He gives a confused grunt and opens his eyes. I clench my fists, showing that I could fight him again if I wanted to. He looks up at me, and I put my fists down. His eyes carry emotion now. Confusion. What could he be confused about?

He puts his hand where my elbow met his nose, and when he sees that it's bloody, he seems even more flummoxed. I look behind him, where Eric, one of the faction leaders, is standing. He must have been the one to pull us away from the edge of the roof.

"Get him to the medical room," he growls at two people beside him. "And keep an eye on him." They help Al up and lead him towards the elevator. He sneaks one last confused look at him before disappearing from sight. Eric then looks at me. "You're fine, right?" _Yeah, except Al just tried to kill me and pretended nothing happened._ I assume he means physically and nod.

"Yeah."

-PAGE BREAK-

I wake up in my apartment, thankfully. I don't think I could have spent another minute in that medical room. Once I get ready for the day, I'm out the door, where I almost run into Christina. I don't have time to be confused about why she was waiting for me to come out of my apartment in the morning.

"You're awake," she says. I nod.

Christina is almost like a second mother to me. Being a Candor to Dauntless transfer and all, she really understands me. And the fact that I was named after Will. She doesn't usually come to me like this, though. Something tells me it has to do with her son.

"I'm not gonna waste any time here." She takes a deep breath, and I wait for her to continue. She takes a small clear tube out of her pocket. It contains a murky dark orange liquid that sloshes around. "Do you know what this is? That's okay, I didn't expect you to. It's a serum."

My eyes widen. How did she get it? What does it do? "It's the most dangerous of the bunch. With one of these, you could control a person. Their thoughts, their actions- Which brings me to my next point, Willow. Al wasn't conscious when he tried to throw you off the Hancock." She slips the vial into her pocket. "They found some of the serum inside of his blood, and he doesn't seem to remember the incident," she looks at me, waiting for my reaction. Relief floods through me.

"Thank you," I tell her, smiling for the first time today. Because of the information or the reassurance, I don't know. She nods, turning to leave, but stops, facing me.

"And Willow? Just... Don't bring it up. He won't be able to forgive himself."

I tell her I understand.

AN- Should I continue? Review, please! Tell your friends! Tell your family! You might even geet a shoutout before my next chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

AN- Shoutout time! Go check out some **DauntlessProdigy4Life** stories! I loved them, so you should too! (Do you like Fourtris, yeah we like Fourtris)

And a big thanks to **DauntlessEverdeen **too! Has anyone else out there fallen in love with Al?

Thanks for commenting.

Also, as a side note, I'm adding a bit of mystery to the story! Yay!

Chapter 8

While I was planning to meet up with Flora, my chat with Christina has changed my opinion. I'm now heading straight for my parents' apartment. To my surprise, the door isn't opened by one of them, but by my uncle.

"Uncle Caleb!" I exclaim, throwing myself into his arms. "Sorry for not calling you this past week, things have been kind of... Crazy."

He laughs. "Yeah, and I heard you had quite the adventure last night."

My face falls. "You heard about that?"

"Don't worry, only me, your parents, and Al's parents know. As well as Eric and the team of Erudites who found the serum in his blood." He leads me inside, where my parents are talking at a coffee table. We sit down and get right to business.

"Someone's trying to kill me," I say, sure of the fact. "There was Xander's sudden knife attack, the serum with Al, who knows what could be next? And the worst part is, we don't know anything about my attempted murderer."

My uncle casually hands me a cup of tea. "Yes we do." Seeing our flummoxed expressions, he continues. "What did your attempted murders have in common, Willow?"

I try to think. The knife attack; it was certainly a coincidence that I had been in that place at that time. Or was it? And Al's hypnosis- my attacker had known I was- 'close,' shall I say, with Al. The solution?

"Whoever it is knows a lot about me," I finally say, concluding my thoughts. "Or they just stalk me. Which would mean they're in Dauntless. But then again, it could be both possibilities. I also think they expected to catch me in my weakest moments." I think further. "They expected me to fight back, to please the crowd. And they had known I trust Al..." My thought trails off, and I notice that my family is staring at me. Caleb smiles.

"Excellent thinking, Willow! Very Erudite of you!"

I'm too lost in my thoughts to hear the compliment. The killer isn't just trying to target me, they're trying to make me lose my trust- for everyone. They didn't expect us to find the serum in Al. But what happened with Xander?

"What happened at Xander's trial?" My mind is spinning.

"He said it was 'his choice, and he was the only one planning anything.' If that doesn't seem suspicious, try explaining the wad of money in his back pocket," my mother supplies the answer.

"Bribery," my voice is barely a mumble. _But why would someone want to kill me?_ It just doesn't make sense. What had I done to anyone that was so bad that in their minds, I was better off dead?

"What's their motive?" Caleb reads my mind. "What if it's not you, but-"

"An idea?" I finish his sentence. "Something that I-"

"Or your parents support?" He finishes mine. We excitedly leap up.

"Or oppose! Like the serums!" I'm starting to get excited.

"We know that they used one on Al," Caleb backs me up.

"So they could be trying to-"

"Get serums approved," He finishes. I sigh. Finally, some answers.

"Wow." My dad shakes his head. "That was so Erudite I can't even comprehend it. Do you two share a mind or something?"

"But it also means that this person is dangerous," I continue. "And will do whatever's possible to get their way."

"You could stay here," my mom offers. "We could guard you until-"

"No." I don't hesitate before giving my answer. "I have to go out and find more info about the situation."

After a while of convincing, my parents finally decide to let me go figure things out, if Caleb's near me at all times. Like my own personal body guard. I decide to head down to the pit, and Caleb throws on some sunglasses and hovers in the corner.

I'm immediately greeted by Flora, who's standing by a very bored-looking Zane. "Hey Willow!" she chirps. I smile weakly in response.

"What did you even want to show me, Flora?" Zane growls. While she drags him away, I scan my surroundings. It seems like the average Dauntless Pit scene. Then I see Al.

My mind takes me back to last night, the winds howling, fear gnawing at my brain. _That wasn't him,_ I remind myself.

"Hey," I say, approaching him slowly. When he sees me, his face lights up, and I can't help but feel amazing. He throws an arm across my shoulders casually. I can see Caleb choke on his drink in the corner. I shoot my uncle a warning glance.

"Hi, Willow! How have you been?"

"Good," I lie. "You?"

"Same." He smiles. "So what're you doing later? I was thinking we could go somewhere." His confidence doesn't surprise me.

"That'd be great," I tell him.

"Cool. So we'll meet here at six?"

"Sure." I suddenly hear an outraged shout behind me. A steaming-mad Flora is stomping her way over to us. Al's arm immediately drops off my shoulders, though I don't think Flora even noticed.

"That Zane is _so_ annoying!" she informs us. "He's always busy, and he never wants to spend any time with _me!_"

"Well, you two aren't exactly friends." My comment sends her over the edge.

"Shut up, Willow! You don't know anything about my life!" She glares at me. I take a step back, frightened by the sudden outburst. "And you never tell me anything about yours," she continues, turning to Al. "Like how you two kissed under the Ferris wheel!" Satisfied, Flora storms away.

I gape at her. _She watched me kiss Al?_ The awkwardness in the air feels tangible.

"Wow," says Al. "I didn't mean to tear your friendship apart or anything-"

"Don't even say that," I tell him. "It's not your fault that she's overly sensitive." I suddenly hear three coughs from Caleb, our signal for when it's time for me to leave. "I gotta go. Bye!"

On the walk to my parents' apartment, Caleb won't stop pestering me. "So this Al guy, huh?" I hang my head. "And you two kissed, yeah?"

"I see you heard that too," I grumble. He just laughs in response. "But what else did you notice?" I try to steer him off the topic.

"I got a list of everyone in the Pit who might have heard you make plans with this 'Al' of yours," he says. "So, if anything- and by that, I mean, someone trying to kill you- does happen, we can have ourselves a list of suspects."

I have to admit, that's a pretty smart idea. Even I hadn't though to do that. We'll just have to see how it plays out.


	9. Chapter 9

AN- Shoutout time! **DauntlessMerici**, thanks for reviewing!

Please review! Make my day like **DauntlessMerici** did!

Also, I've decided to make this chapter a bit longer, with more action and less dialogue. It's a very nice chapter, if I do say so myself. You guys deserve it!

Chapter 9

I still don't understand why Caleb is insisting on going with me to meet Al. He says it's because he wants to make sure I don't get killed, but I'm starting to think he has a different motive. My thoughts are confirmed when he sends me off.

"Be careful with that boy, Willow!" he shouts as I'm leaving the apartment.

"What boy?" I hear my dad ask, right before I shut the door behind me. Well, if I don't die tonight, I will when I come back home.

-PAGE BREAK-

"So where do you want to go?" I ask Al once we meet up.

"I have a few ideas," he says confidently, grabbing my hand. I smile and follow him out of the pit. He takes me through a few hallways in the compound, until we find ourselves near the initiates' training room. We don't stop there, and soon we're at the fear landscape rooms.

_The fear landscape rooms._

Al opens a door to one of the rooms, gesturing for me to enter. I just stare, confused by the sudden request. Confused, and… Afraid. He must see my expression.

"We don't have to, I mean, it was kind of a stupid idea…" His confidence suddenly disappears.

I'm about to agree, but then I realise something. This isn't something pointless to do for fun and different. He's showing me that I can trust him. That I'm on his side.

"No," I tell him, setting a hand on his arm. "It's not." Although I'm still scared, I make myself walk into the landscape room.

He attaches my headpiece (no serums, remember) and types a few things into the computer beside me. I close my eyes and try to breathe. We're going into his landscape, so I have nothing to fear. Right?

"Willow," my name is called by Al. I open my eyes. He's standing in front of me, but that's not what's different. We're in a small storage room, with a single light hanging from the ceiling. Al's eyes are focused on the light. Suddenly, it shatters, and the room plunges into darkness. I wait for a second, for something to happen, but all I can hear are our breaths. And then a long scrape coming from my right.

"Al?"

"Yeah?" His voice is filled with fear, but the unsettling part is that his voice comes from my left._ So what's over there?_ The scrape returns, this time louder and closer. It's then accompanied by a nasty growl. Though it's Al's fear, it still gives me shivers.

I step back against a solid concrete wall. My foot brushes against a small box, and some tiny sticks spill out. _Matches._ Picking them up, I push a match to the box and swipe. With even the small amount of light, I see enough.

Just a few feet from my face, a faceless blob of darkness, its scales catching light from the match. "What is it?" I whisper to Al.

"I don't know. I never do." He inches closer to me. This somehow angers the monster, and it lets out another outraged growl. Suddenly, it lunges. The next things happen slowly, yet still they feel fast. Al tosses himself at me, pushing me out of its way. We fall together, and the beast rams into the wall.

The ground turns into tile, signaling the end of that fear. Al smiles weakly at me, and the simple action makes my heart leap. He helps me up and I can look around. The two of us are in a deep ditch dug in the ground. I look up. Dirt rains down upon us from above.

I look down, and I'm neck-deep in the soil. A huge clump falls again, and I start choking on it. I feel dirt on my head, and I'm almost sure I'd be dead by now, if this was real. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself down. A few breaths, and I open my eyes.

Again, the landscape has changed. A single wasps' nest accompanies us in a simple white room. Wasps begin to spiral out of the nest, heading straight for us. I duck, unable to do anything else. I can feel tiny pricks on my skin, together more painful than anything. I feel myself pass out, then wake up again shortly after.

We're near the edge of the chasm but we're alone, except for one person. Eric, with a gun in each hand, pointed to each one of us. "You move, you die," he says simply. I have to admit, he looks pretty intimidating. Al shifts his eyes, drawing my attention to something near me. Clinging to edge of the chasm, a little girl, probably about five years old by the look of her.

"Help me!" she cries. I cringe at the desperation in her voice. Al closes his eyes, weighing his options, I assume. He finally makes a choice and ducks toward the edge to save the girl. As I fear, Eric shoots. The bullet hits Al straight on, and he goes tumbling over the edge. I try to scream, but nothing comes out. Then Eric shoots me, and everything goes black.

I open my eyes. Al is beside me, to my relief. But there is something that frightens me; where we are. The roof of the Hancock, winds around us blowing strongly.

The height doesn't seem to disturb Al too much, in fact, he's looking around, confused by our location. "This is new," I hear him mutter. I'm not focused on him, though, I'm looking to his left. The winds are blowing leaves into a solid spiral, which together form the shape of a human being. I blink, and there he is; Al. Another Al, though, this one cold and emotionless.

The real Al and I stare at him, but I'm sure we're thinking different things. The fake Al steps towards me, and I can't help it, I step back. My foot catches on the edge of the roof. Fear consumes me, and I am suddenly there again- last night, when Al attempted to kill me, to throw me off the edge.

The fake Al lunges for my feet, while I watch the real Al cry out and try to step towards me. It's to no avail; I'm already falling. I don't know if I scream or not.

I leap forward and find the headpiece attached to me. I'm back. It's over.

Sighing, I rip off the tiny head sensors. My breaths come fast. I think about his last fear. How did he know about what happened? Locked in his subconscious memory, perhaps? I look to my side. Al sits in the chair, his head in his hands. I want to reach out, o comfort him, to do something, but I don't. "That was terrible," he whispers to no one.

I'm glad he thinks my death was terrible. Or he could be just be referring to the whole set of fears, but he had had those before.

"Willow," he says, his voice sounding surprisingly stable, "I'm so sorry." What does he mean? For his fake twin to throw me off the edge, or for inviting me to go through his fears? He continues. "I didn't know that fear would be in there."

I shake my head. "If you didn't know, then there's nothing to be sorry about."

He nods, and we sit there awkwardly for a few moments before he speaks up.

"She was my sister."

"Hm?"

"The girl on the edge of the chasm." He looks into my eyes. I had never known Christina had a second child. And I'm suddenly focused on the one word of his. _Was._ I look at my feet.

"I'm so sorry."

He shrugs it off. I'm about to ask, but I decide he probably doesn't want to talk about it. I don't blame him. Again we sit in silence. Al looks at the clock. "I should probably get back to my family. See you around?"

"Okay." Though I dread going back to my parents' apartment, I find myself heading there anyway. The door opens before I can even knock.

"Welcome back!" Caleb greets me. "We've been expecting you."

"I believe it," I say, stepping into the room. I get a cup of tea from my mother and the four of us sit down at their table.

"So, what happened?" I'm asked by my dad.

"I didn't get killed," I point out.

"Okay, but what did you do on your _date_?" Uncle Caleb asks, dragging out the word. Lucky for me, lying has been becoming easier and easier.

"Got some cake, took a walk, normal stuff." Not the best answer, but it will have to do.

"So you admit it was a date?" my dad asks, shocked. Whoops. I had forgotten about that part. I sip my tea.

"Well, I guess one could say that," I speak quietly. My mother smiles.

"Does Christina know?" Her question surprises me. I tell her I'm not sure. "Well, don't tell her. I'll lose the bet." Okay, now I'm confused. She attempts to explain. "Well, after you two were born, I mean, you were a girl and he was a guy, so Christina bet me that one day you guys would be 'more than friends.' I said that it wasn't possible for you two to meet without an introduction. Chicago is a pretty big place, you know." She leans back in her chair. "But I guess I was wrong."

AN- Yes, I'm writing down here too. With just a few things you might want to know.

**How often will I update? **Well, I'll try to at least four (no symbolism intended) times per week.

**What's the cover?** It's the sun behind a cloud. I took the pic myself.

**Do you have the storyline planned out?** Yup.

**Can I get a shoutout?** Maybe, if you comment. I'd love to hear your opinion on my story, random voice. And I'll take any questions, as well.

**What's Al and Willow's ship name? **Allow me to give you a hint. It's in the sentence before this one.

That's all, folks! (Or should I say, that's Al) Okay, I need a life.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

That night, I can't sleep. Al's fear keeps coming back to haunt me. How had he known what had happened? Had there been some fault in the serum? _The serum. _How had my attempted murderer gotten their hands on some? As a child, I had always been told that no serums existed anymore. This means someone would have had to make it, and most likely be an Erudite. _Who do I know that's an Erudite?_

My thoughts are to important to send me to sleep. I shrug on a jacket and begin walking around the Dauntless compound. When I look up again, I'm near the chasm. Al is there, too, and he's looking over the edge while clinging to the metal support bar. He turns his head and sees me. "Hey," he greets. "I see you couldn't sleep either."

I nod wordlessly, walking to stand next to him. We stand there for a moment, letting the sound of rushing water fill the silence. I focus on the sounds; the chasm, our breaths, the footsteps. Footsteps? Coming from the other side of the chasm, paired with muffled mumbles. Dauntless aren't supposed to be her at night. _Well, here I am._

Al grabs my arm and starts leading me away from the chasm, but I stop. "Let's listen," I whisper. Though he's confused, he still nods and changes direction. There's a gap in the rocks, and we quietly duck inside. We're so close, I can feel his heart beating against mine.

I peek outside, where two men are making their way towards the chasm. Eric, and... Who is that? He looks strangely familiar. Where have I seen him? Slowly they come into earshot.

"-not my request, it's Jeanine's," the man tells Eric.

"Fine. I do have more experience than you in killing people," Eric replies, emotionless. Al tenses up. And I remember. His fear_. Was Eric really his sister's murderer?_ Things are getting pretty confusing around here.

We wait until the sound of their footsteps fade away before escaping our hiding place. I want to say something, but I can't decide on what. I look at Al, and notice that he's trembling. I decide to reach out and comfort him, and his arms wrap around me. I nuzzle my head into his chest to feel his warmth. His arms are strong and confident against my back, and I don't want to move. Al smoothes my hair back from my face, and our eyes meet. He starts to lean forward...

"Hey!" someone yells from behind us. We turn to face Eric. The other man is standing next to him. "What are you doing? You're not supposed to be here."

"Sorry," I say, surprised by how my voice sounds strong. "Won't happen again." I grab Al's arm to lead him away, but his feet stay planted.

"Dad?" Al says. _Oh, so that's who he is. _"You aren't supposed to be here, either. In the Dauntless compound, late at night. When did you get back from Erudite?"

_Oh yeah, his dad's an Erudite._ _That would explain the whole Jeanine thing._

"Albert? How long were you here?" he asks, completely breezing over Al's question. He then gives me a disgusted look, which Al seems to notice.

"Long enough to hear you two-"

"Walk in!" I interrupt Al's angry comment. "We just got here." My claim gets an eyebow raise from Eric.

"You sure about that?"

I nod. "Let's go, Al." This time he does move, but not after Eric stops us.

"You think you aren't going to be punished for sneaking around at night?"

"Um, yeah, I do think that. Considering I could report you to Max, and you'd be fired for breaking rules and accusing us of breaking them too," Al tells him. This just gets a laugh from Eric.

"Wow, what a catch you've got there, Willow," he taunts. "Standing up for you, how cute."

"Yeah," I say. "I'm lucky to have him." My comment makes Al smile slightly.

"And if something were to happen," Eric continues, "You would miss him, right?"

"Leave them alone." From Al's dad. Disgusted, Eric turns to face him.

"Relax, I'm just having a little fun." He faces us again. "Go."

We take that as our cue to run. We don't stop until we're in the hallways of our apartment building. "Why was my dad," Al asks, "With that dirty rat?"

I shrug. "And who did they want to kill?"

"You probably, by the way he looked at you like a piece of garbage." His tone of voice implies that it's a joke, but I'm not so sure. With the information I have about my attempted murderer, Al's dad would be a likely suspect.

I want to bring my failed assassinations up with Al, but I feel that he'd eventully find out about his whole serum thing. And I trust Christina enough not to let that happen.

I trip over a bump in the carpet, suddenly realising how tired I am. "We should probably get some sleep," I tell Al. He nods, smiling.

"I was just about to say that. Good night."

"Good night." I turn to step away.

"And Willow?" He adds. "Im lucky to have you too."


	11. Chapter 11

Shoutouts!

**SeanEmma4Evr **and **Guest**

Also to the people who follow and favorite me and my story.

I love you.

Though I do have a basic outline for the plot, I can always add fluff. PM or review with your ideas! I'd love to hear them!

Chapter 11

Even though I only got a few hours of sleep, I drag myself out of bed and to the cafeteria in the compound. Once I get breakfast, I see Flora. I make the decision to try to set things right as I sit next to her.

She rolls her eyes, not quite the welcome I wanted. "Where's Al?" she asks coldly.

"I don't know."

"You're serious? You really don't know? It's not like you guys do _everything_ together, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised." She stabs her toast with a butter knife angrily. "Yeah, what haven't you done? Go into each other's fear landscapes? Oh wait, you have done that."

"For the record, it was just _his_ landscape," I inform her. "Wait, how do you know about that?"

"Wow, your head really is in the clouds." She glares at me. "You two are so famous you practically have paparazzi."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh my gosh, Al-low, the most legendary couple around!" she mimics, waving her arms around. "People are stalking you guys to fill their drama-seeking souls with information."

I'm about to say something, but I close my mouth. Just one more thing to be aware of; my stalkers. Yay, how joyous. "Are you one of our followers?" I ask Flora. "Because you seemed to know about the landscape thing."

She just gapes at me like I've accused her of jumping into the chasm. "Ask around," she says, her voice dripping with anger. "Everyone knows!"

Flora rushes up from the table, leaving me to sit by myself. I don't try to follow her.

-PAGE BREAK-

"Have you seen this?" Al asks, dropping the Dauntless newspaper in front of me. We're sitting on a couch in his apartment like we had arranged yesterday before we separated.

"Whoa. Dauntless has a paper?"

"Yup. Read the headline."

"_Dauntless Legends Seen Together as a Couple?_" Even as I'm saying it, it's hard to believe. The reason why people would even read this pointless information is beyond me. "Is this for real?"

He nods. "But no one reads the Dauntless paper. And they wouldn't waste time reading this article."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, first, they already know what it's telling them. Second, they're probably busy writing fanfiction about us." He laughs, and I groan.

"You don't really think so, do you?" I lean back against the cushions.

"You never know. People are weird." As he says this, we hear a knock on his window. Yes, his window. "Hold on," he tells me, getting up from the couch, as if people knocking on your window is a totally normal thing.

He opens it up to a Dauntless guy- one of his friends, I assume- of which is standing on the ledge below the window. "Hey, Al," he says casually. "We're going ziplining tonight, wanna come?"

What a normal way to invite someone to go ziplining. "Maybe," Al replies. The guy peeks through the window and sees me.

"Oh, hi Willow!" He then turns back to Al. "I see the rumors are true."

"Shut up," Al replies, shutting the window abruptly. The Dauntless guy waves goodbye and goes to hop along some more ledges. Al comes back to sit with me. "You could come, too, if you want." He's referring to the ziplining trip.

"Thanks, but no," I'm quick to decline, knowing that I'll never be able to stand on top of the Hancock ever again without having a heart attack. "I'm not a 'heights' person."

Al nods and goes silent, and I guess that he's thinking about his fear, and my falling off of the Hancock. He couldn't have known that I was afraid of heights; he's never been through my fear landscape.

"Do you want to know what I'm afraid of?" I ask suddenly. One part of my mind wants to take it back, and it's yelling at me for being so careless.

"I don't have to."

"Do you _want_ to," I repeat, finally bringing myself to look at him. His expression is unreadable.

"Do you want me to know?"

I nod.

"Okay," he says. "But only if you're sure."

-PAGE BREAK-

I don't know what I'm worried about. The machines only take your worst five fears, and I already know what they are from the initiation. What I don't know is if one has changed. My heart is beating fast as the simulation starts.

Al and I stand in an empty white room. Okay, so this fear hasn't changed. Suddenly, the cieling drops, and I have to crouch to keep from hitting my head. The walls are next, slowly closing in on us. I press my hands against the walls, but they don't budge. I am trembling. My eyes close. Then open. _I just have to get this over with._

This fear is the same, too. I'm standing in a field outside of the Dauntless compound. Al is to my left, and I try to turn and look at him, but I already know what will happen. I can't move. Panic sets in, but I try to fend it off. _Not real not real not real. _The landscape disappears.

I know exactly where we are. The elevator in the Hancock. It moves up noisily, jolting left and right. And then it stops. Al looks around, confused. I throw my fists against the door in pain and panic, trying to avoid what's next. It's to no avail. The elevator drops down into darkness.

I open my eyes. Winds whip my hair back, and we're standing above the city. The floor is a panel of glass. I try to close my eyes and make it disappear, but it's not working. From above me, the clouds are dark. A tiny drop of rain falls, and I watch in horror as it cracks the glass beneath us. We fall.

_Finally, it's over. _I expect to wake up in the landscape chair, safe and sound, but instead I find myself in the Dauntless initiate training room. Confused, I count back. Usually, my heights fear was last. And my fear of crows was first. _It's been replaced by an even worse fear?_

"What's this one, Willow?" Al asks me.

"I don't know." The room is empty, and I don't see anything to be afraid of. Until I see them walk in. Them- meaning us. It's not us, though. It's all fake. Fake Willow and fake Al walk in side-by-side. They look pretty carefree.

Suddenly, a knife launches out of the wall. It hits fake Willow right in the heart, and she falls to her knees. "I-" she starts to choke.

"Willow," fake Al interrupts. He sounds disappointed; disappointed in her, disappointed in me. "You should have told me. I could've saved you."

"Wha-" I step away from the scene, but I can't make myself look away. Fake Willow looks at him apologetically from the ground, almost begging for forgiveness.

"I could've saved you," he just repeats coldly. With one final look, Al walks away, abandoning her. I watch myself die, which is a sight no one wants to see.

When I wake up, I hug my knees to my chest and sob until I'm choking on tears. Al hasn't said a word. I finally bring myself to look at him, and I immediately regret that decision. The look of hurt in his eyes is unexplainably heart-breaking.

"Tell me what?" he asks quietly.

I know I can't tell him. It wouldn't make sense without telling him the Hancock part. And I'm not telling him that.

"I don't know." I try to look away. I can hear Al inhale sharply.

"Yes you do. But since you're lying, I know you feel like you can't trust me." His words sting me like poison.

"It's not that I can't trust you-"

"It's just that you choose not to?" Al eyes the door as if he's about to storm out. "We're _supposed_ to trust each other. That's how it works."

"That's how what works?" I ask angrily. He's not even trying to understand. "What law is this, this one that says we have to trust each other?" I know I have gone too far by the look on Al's face.

"Fine," he says coldly. I bury my head in my knees, not wanting to look at him. "Don't tell me. But don't expect me to save you from random flying knives."

_And then abandon me, _I think subconsciously as the door slams behind him. _And then abandon me._

AN- Don't hate me.


	12. Chapter 12

Shoutout to **PouncingWind**! And, as always, **DauntlessProdigy4Life**! And you, the reader!

Remember, though I do have a basic outline for the plot, I can always add fluff. PM or review with your ideas! I'd love to hear them!

And speaking of fluff, here's a fun little chapter!

Chapter 12

I feel more mad at Al then anything. _He didn't even try to understand that I couldn't tell him. _I think these thoughts as I get ready for the day. Well, since I don't want to be completely alone, I should probably make things right with Flora.

Again, I set my tray down across from her. "Listen," I begin. "You probably hate me, but you have a completely good reason to do so. I'm sorry for being completely insensitive. I'll try to tell you more about my life, and spend some more time with you."

Flora nods. "I accept your apology." Then she smiles. "Not sit your butt down and tell me what's going on with you and Al."

"We kind of got into a fight last night," I admit. It feels good to finally tell someone.

"His fault or yours?"

"His, no doubt."

"And I can see he's gotten over you fast," she says, gesturing behind me. I look. Al is walking in, his arm around another girl. And she's pretty. My face burns with anger as I turn back to talk to Flora.

"I don't care," I lie.

"But he just looked over at you! He's probably just trying to make you jealous!" She leans in close so no one can hear her whisper, "Show him that two can play at that game."

Though it feels immature and stupid, I have nothing better to do. I saunder over to the nearest guys' table and clear my throat. Slowly, the chatter here drifts away into silence.

"Anyone here desperate for fame?" I ask. "Or who wants to be my fake boyfriend for a while?" The amount of blank stares I'm left with is almost humorous.

"I'll do it," I finally hear. The guy steps forward, and I immediately know him. He was ranked first in my initiation group. His name's Ravi. "Do I get paid?"

I roll my eyes. "Fine. But only if you can make it seem realistic."

"And who's the audience?"

I jerk my thumb in Al's direction. He nods knowingly. "And... Action." He drapes his arm around my shoulders. I freeze. _He hopefully knows what he's doing._ He steers me in the direction of the food line, which is also in Al's view. "Now, what would you like to eat, beautiful? Anything you want; it's on me." He suddenly gets a humored look in his face, and he leans in to whisper in my ear. "Laugh like I've just said something hilarious."

I giggle. "Oh, Ravi!" While I'm distracted wondering if it's convincing enough, my foot slips on a loose tile. Ravi quickly jumps in front of me, catching me in his arms before I fall to the ground.

"You should be more careful," he says, "with who you _fall_ for." At this line, he shoots a glare at Al, who's with his girl at the table next to us. Ravi's so good, I wish I could stand up and cheer for him.

"You're right," I say, to rub it in Al's face. "I do." I try to stand up, but Ravi doesn't let me.

"Oh, no." He scoops me up. "I'm not letting you get away from me." He proceeds to carry me away from the cafeteria. Once we're out of sight, he puts me down awkwardly.

"Oh my god!" I shout. "That was amazing! Do you take acting classes or something?"

"Nope." He beams proudly. "Do I get a raise, boss?" We hadn't decided on a salary, so I just count out some bills and shove them into his hands. We wait for a few minutes, before I peek back into the cafeteria. There's no sign of Al.

Ravi returns to his table, and I return to Flora. "How was it?" I ask. "I didn't have a chance to see Al's reaction."

"Are you kidding me? That was priceless! And the 'fall' thing? Don't tell me you didn't plan that. Hey, that Ravi's kind of cute. Do you think he-"

"_Flora_!" I interrupt. "Did Al look jealous or didn't he?"

"Oh, girl," she says. "He couldn't take his eyes off the scene. Not even his girl could snap him out of it. And with Ravi's glare..." she trails off. "He just stormed away."

I feel a new sense of pride. Not that I want Al back, or anything. That would be absurd.

-PAGE BREAK-

I'm so glad I can finally relax at my apartment. As soon as I kick my feet up on my table-

"Willow!" I hear from outside my door, followed by a knock. _Are you kidding me._

"Door's open," I yell, getting up. My mother steps inside.

"Sorry to disturb you."

"No problem," I lie. "What is it?"

"We've been invited to Christina's for dinner," she tells me. I nod.

"Okay, I might be able to go."

She turns to leave, then stops, smiling. "If it makes any difference, Al will be there." She must not know about our fight. I fake a smile.

"Great."


	13. Chapter 13

The more you review, the faster you get chapters... Just sayin'.

Remember, though I do have a basic outline for the plot, I can always add fluff. PM or review with your ideas! I'd love to hear them!

Chapter 13

The awkwardness in the air is evident as we sit down. My mom and Christina are probably confused by the fact that Al and I have only exchanged sour glares. They still chat about other things, though, pretending as though we're not here.

After a silent few minutes between Al and I, he finally decides to speak up. "We need to talk." The four words are a quiet, yet insistent whisper.

"Hm?" I look up at him, and he seems irritated by my response. I take that as an invitation to continue. "You finally want to apologize?"

"You know perfectly well that I have nothing to apologize for. I was trying to help you. Your landscape said that I could." There is urgency in his voice.

"The landscape is in my head," I tell him. "Unless I'm a psychic, that won't be happening anytime soon."

"But it's possible!" His voice raises a little.

"If it does, I can protect myself. I don't need _you_," I spit back. I suddenly notice the eerie silence, and I look to my side. Our mothers have stopped chatting and are now looking at us. They heard us this whole time.

"We'll finish this conversation outside," Al says apologetically, whereas I would've come up with a lie to avoid confrontation on the subject. I guess I didn't belong in Candor after all.

Once we step outside the apartment, Al reaches for my arm to lead me away, but I slap his hand away. I immediately regret this, though, and I realise that I miss his touch. _No, Willow. No. This relationship is strictly business._

"We can stay here," I use as an excuse for slapping his hand. He nods, crossing his arms as if waiting for me to continue. "What?"

"I just thought that since you've kept so many secrets..."

"You want me to tell you what could've saved me in the landscape," I growl.

"Willow, I just want to protect you." His eyes hold genuine concern, and I force myself to look away. "Please, just tell me."

I look upwards, asking God for a way out of this. Instead I just see the apartment cieling, and the shaking panel of light illuminating us. _Wait, why is it shaking?_

"Al." I point to the light. "Look."

"Wow, nice excuse. You think I'll forget about it that easily?"

"No, really-" The panel suddenly shifts, and I know something isn't right.

"Move!" Al orders, and we bolt in opposite directions. The light falls, the bulbs shattering on the floor. Sizzling sparks fly into the air, and the hallway loses some of its light. I turn back to look at Al, who is staring at the whole mess in front of him. "If you were standing under that, you would've died."

"I know," I say.

"If I hadn't-"

"Hadn't what? Pestered me for information?"

"You're the one who-"

"Shh," I instruct him, kneeling down to inspect the light fixture. After a moment of inspecting, I am sure of one thing. _This wasn't an accident. _"Look at the wires," I tell Al.

"They're cut." He looks fearful for the slightest moment, but then seems to compose himself. "Someone's trying to kill us." The door to Christina's apartment opens. Our mothers stand in the doorway.

"What happened?" they chorus. Their eyes fall upon the light.

"Someone's trying to kill us," Al repeats, matter-of-factly. My mom's face goes pale, and Christina just nods sorrily. Al seems confused my his mother's reaction.

"You two, get inside," says Christina. "Tris, bring over a chair."

Al just stares, probably bewildered by the past few minutes. "I think," he says to Christina, "one would expect a different reaction from someone who's son almost got killed."

"Well, I'm not exactly surprised by the event," she replies, sharing a knowing glance with me. Al sees our exchange, and it sends him into deeper confusion. She leads us into the living room. "Stay here."

We sit in silence on chairs across from each other. I try to get myself to forget about the light incident, and I'm surprised by the lack of trauma I'm feeling. I suppose I've gotton used to almost dying.

"So," says Al, "Ravi, huh?" His voice holds something I can't identify. His tone suggests uninterest, but I feel like something else is mixed with it.

"What about him?"

"He was first-ranked."

"Is that why you brought him up?"

"No," he admits.

"Well, who's your chick?"

"Ah, you noticed?" He says it a bit too hopefully, then catches himself. "She was not my type, though."

"Nor was Ravi," I say, surprised by how the words flow so freely. Why did I just say that?

"So what is your type? Personally, I like people who don't keep many secrets."

"You tried to kill me!" I finally burst.


	14. Chapter 14

The more you review, the faster you get chapters... Just sayin'.

Remember, though I do have a basic outline for the plot, I can always add fluff. PM or review with your ideas! I'd love to hear them!

Right now, it kind of seems as if the story is coming to an end, but I assure you, there is still plenty more material and plot that I haven't included yet! That being said, thanks for reading this little blurb.

Chapter 14

"What? I think I would have remembered that."

"You're right, of course." My voice is shaky. "You were under a serum, Al. You remember nothing that happened that night. It wasn't you."

"No. I- I couldn't have." He stands.

"It wasn't you," I repeat, more forcefully. "That's why I didn't want to tell you."

"But serums… They're not…" he trails off into confusion. When he looks up at me, my heart drops. His eyes carry sorrow and pity. "Willow, I-"

Before I know it, I've thrown myself into his arms. His warmth is a relief to every part of me. "It w-wasn't y-you," I remind him, stuttering. I can feel tears well up in my eyes. He just looks surprised, and hurt. Without warning, he steps away from me.

"Get away," he says.

"W-What?"

He takes another step back. "I don't want to hurt you, Willow."

"It wasn't you!" This is exactly what I was told not to do. I should've listened to Christina, I shouldn't have let Al into my fear landscape, but I can't change the past. "Please don't do this, Al. It was the serum. You had no choice."

"I could've stopped it." He eyes the door, as if about to leave.

"No! Don't leave me, not again," I plead, taking a step towards him. "It wasn't you."

"I'm divergent. I should've been able to stop it."

"But you weren't! We don't know who we're dealing with here. They could've made a serum capable of working on divergents. You don't remember that night, Al. _It wasn't you."_

My words finally seem to get to him, and he nods slowly. To my relief, he welcomes me back into his arms. My heartache disappears. We sit on the couch together, his arms wrapped around me. The door to the apartment opens, and my mom and Christina come inside, carrying a chair and a pair of pliers, respectively. Christina's eyebrows raise when she sees Al and I, but she doesn't ask.

"These pliers were in the ceiling," my mom tells us. "But there was no one up there when we checked." She then looks at me. "This was no accident."

"Hooray," I mutter, resting my cheek against Al's. He smiles slightly.

"You know what?" he whispers into my ear. "I missed you."

"I missed you more," I whisper back.

"How cute," Christina interrupts. "But we're kind of busy trying to figure out your murderer, so save the lovey-dovey stuff for later, will you?"

We spend the next few minutes poring over information, talking in circles, and getting absolutely nowhere. I suddenly get an idea. "The serum," I mutter to myself, then louder. "The serum! How was the serum administered to Al?"

"Not by injection," Al points out, "because I would have noticed that."

"Right. So you must have drank it, unknowingly of course." I tap my finger against the coffee table, thinking. "Did you drink anything... mysterious on that day?"

"I don't think so."

"So, the serum must have been hidden in a drink," I point out. "By someone you thought you could trust." I'm lost in thought when the door suddenly opens. Or, gets _kicked_ open is more like it. Either way, the door falls down, and two men come barging in through with it.

"Dad?" Al and I ask, our voices synchronized. Sure enough, our dads are there, except not the way one would expect. Instead, they're pointing guns at each other, looking as mad as a pair of dueling wolves. Al squeezes my hand and we step backward.

"What are you doing!" Christina squeals, rushing over to them. My mother does the same. They put themselves between them.

"Stop this!" my mom demands.

"And do what?" my dad asks. "Let this man kill our daughter?"


	15. Chapter 15

Wow, I can't believe I left you with two cliffhangers in a row... Sorry 'bout dat_..._

_ This chapter dedicated to my friend Sydney, who goes by the fanfiction name of Alllle. She gave me the idea for this chapter._

Right now, it kind of seems as if the story is coming to an end, but I assure you, there is still plenty more material and plot that I haven't included yet! That being said, thanks for reading this little blurb.

Chapter 15

"Four, don't be ridiculous," my mother says, trying to pull the gun away from him. My heart is beating fast, and my eyes are glued to the scene unfolding before me._ I should have told them my theory. I knew it, I _knew _it..._

I watch Al's dad. His eyes lock upon me, cold and calculating. Without warning, my dad elbows him in the face, his gun knocking out of his hand. Al, still holding my hand, leads me away hurriedly. The two men are in a full-on battle now, fists flying.

"We need to get out of here," Al says, surprisingly calmly. He hands me a sharp knife as we pass his kitchen, taking one for himself as well. "Just in case." We dart into the hallway, sprinting away. He takes a route that I assume is leading outside. We're about to reach the chasm when I'm suddenly yanked backward by a strong pair of arms.

I cry out. Al whips around, but his dad has already caught me. Before I can take action, a length of rope is wrapped around my wrists, binding my hands together. I get pushed towards the chasm, falling to the floor. In the corner of my eye, I can see Al's father pull a gun, and point it at me.

"Dad! No!" Al exclaims, stepping forward, but he's too late. I hear the click, and squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the impact. Nothing comes. With a grunt, my killer pulls out a tiny box of ammunition and begins reloading. Al immediately bounds to my side.

"What are you doing?" I whisper as he pulls his knife out. "Leave, get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you," he says confidently, cutting the ropes off my wrists.

"You would put your life in danger for me? Al, We're not in Abnegation, you can leave me to die, it's okay."

He tosses the ropes aside and grabs for my hand to help me up. "Willow," he says, "I would never do that to you. We're a team, remember?" I nod, still surprised by his actions. I would at least want him to survive this, but it's his choice. "And besides," he adds, "I love you, and I have loved you, and I will love you."

The way he says it is so casual, so carefree, and I immediately know that he's telling the truth. My heart soars, and I finally realize how much he truly means to me. "Oh, Al," I exclaim, wrapping my arms around him. "You mean more to me that I could've ever imagined. I love you, too."

Saying this makes him smile, and he presses his lips against mine, holding the back of my head to bring us closer. He pulls away then, gesturing to his dad. "Later," he promises. We turn to face him.

Again, Al's father raises the gun, quickly firing at the ground where I had previously been. The bullet bounces off of the stone floor. Al charges into his dad, grabbing for the gun. Luckily, he had been caught off guard and Al had received ownership of the weapon. He tosses it into the chasm.

Angrily, the man rushes over to the chasm bridge, yanking a metal bar off of its handrail and wielding it like a sword. "You're crazy!" Al shouts to him over the running water.

I could have never guessed what happens next. The bar leaves his hands, flying through the air at incredible speeds towards Al. I watch in horror as the bar meets his head, sending a splatter of blood into the air. He falls, hitting the cold floor with a sickening thump.

I listen for him to get up, to say he's okay, to tell me he'll see me tomorrow.

I'm met with silence.

Silence echoing across the walls and through the chasm.

Silence louder than a scream

and all I feel is the ache of silence.

The silence brings me to my knees, and I'm suddenly next to Al, holding his bleeding face in my hands, watching his eyes open and close way too slowly. And then they stay closed.

I can't move, I can't scream, or do anything, because I am here, and he is here, but he isn't. I want him to be here with me.

But he isn't.

His mouth opens as an attempt at a word, but nothing comes. I run a hand over his forehead. _It's okay, it's okay, it's okay._ I can feel tears stream down my face, and I make myself scoot away from him. I can't look at him like this. _He'll be fine,_ I tell myself. _Later, he'd said._

Keeping this thought, I stand up uneasily, casting a glare upon Al's dad.

"He was in the way," he says emotionlessly. How could some_thing_ so heartless make someone as kind and amazing as Al? This jerk doesn't deserve words, so I keep my mouth shut and reach for the knife at my belt.

My enemy doesn't have a weapon. And he's Erudite, with a doubtful experience in fighting. I'll be able to defeat him, but should I?

AN- _"I wouldn't leave you, I would hold you, when the last day comes. ~"Willow" by Jasmine Thompson_

Yes, that's a real song and it's actually called Willow. Look it up. :3


	16. Chapter 16

AN- I'm tryin' somethin different. 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

_**Willow's P.O.V.**_

When I awake, I've no idea how much time has passed. I rub my eyes and look around. Instead of being where I'd fallen near the chasm, I'm in a hospital bed in one of the Dauntless medical rooms. I groan, remembering how much I've hated this place.

The memory comes back to me; recovering from the knife incident, when Flora and Al came to visit me and play Candor or Dauntless. Okay, that part wasn't so bad. And when I escaped with Al... _Al._

I leap up, hitting my head on some sort of medical device above me. "Ow," I mutter, rubbing my head. A nurse pops her head in the doorway.

"You're up!" she exclaims, heading inside. Her name says _Hannah _in big block letters.I watch wordlessly as she tinkers with the machine above me. A light shines down from it. "How's your nose feeling? It's healing, but does it still feel broken?"

I subconsciously touch my nose, and I'm met with a screeching pain. _Ow._ Being kicked in the face hurts. "It kills."

"Oh, I bet," she replies, marking something on a clipboard. "Do you think you'll need a painkiller? Or anything else?"

"I want to see Al."

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait until your nose is fully healed. In the meantime, would you like me to call in your parents?"

"If I can see them, why can't I see Al?"

She looks up at me with a mix of reluctance and regret. "Albert is in critical care. We can't exactly get him to come to you. Would you like me to call your parents?"

I nod slowly. _Al, in critical care?_ I bite my lip and clasp my hands together silently. I've never really prayed much before, but this is a special circumstance.

_Dear God,_

_ You probably know this, but Al is really important to me. Even saying that he's important i an understatement. He's my everything._

_ He's in critical care, God. That means he's most likely going to die. But you can't let him die. Please. I'll do anything. Anything, God. Just let him live. That's all I ask. I'll do anything._

_Amen._

When I look up, my parents are in the doorway, and Hannah is gone. They're staring.

"It's okay, Willow," my mother says, taking a seat next to my bed. My father does the same. I stare at each of them in turn.

"I suppose you'll be wanting some answers," my dad sighs. I blink. He takes that as a yes. "I was approached by Peter a few days ago, and he told me he wanted me in on a plan he was working on. He told me he wanted to kill you.

"I obviously told him I wouldn't do it. This angered him, and he claimed that I knew too much. That was the beginning of our fight, the one unfortunately involving you and Xander. I would have told you about the plan, but I didn't want you seeking information. It would've put you in more danger.

"My point is, Al's father wasn't the only one wishing to take your life. There are more out there, and your fight isn't over." When he's finished, he leans back. "Any thoughts, Willow?"

I can't make myself say anything. The information doesn't surprise me, it's just the inconvenience of words. What's the point of saying anything? Wasting our words on pointless things rather that proclaiming ideas and love? I stare at my lap, thinking of Al. What will I say to him the next time I see him?

Hannah pops her head into the doorway. "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Eaton, but you'll have to come back another time. Willow is scheduled for her therapy session now." _What? Therapy?_ My parents leave, and I am alone for a moment, before an older man joins me in the room. He takes a seat next to my hospital bed.

"Hello!" he says cheerfully. "I'm Dr. Luke, your therapist for the next few days." He looks at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. I try to make my face as unreadable as possible. I'm not really in the mood for human interaction.

"Don't worry, nothing's wrong, it's just a new thing we're trying on the patients in medical rooms," he continues. "To ease some of the pain, hopefully. Now, why don't you start by telling me a bit about yourself?"

I just stare. _And this guy is supposed to _ease _my pain?_

"Are you always so... Mute?" he asks. I give him what I hope is a sarcastic glare, but I can't exactly tell, as I've never taken acting classes. I can't help but feel a little immature. He jut shakes the question off. "Okay, great. Making my job the slightest bit easier." His response surprises me. Did he just make a joke? Even though it wasn't a good one, I still feel a bit shaken up by it. This is supposed to be fun?

"Does your muteness have anything to do with-" he glances at his clipboard. "Al? It says here that he's a friend of yours."

The mention of his name hurts me in a way I cannot comprehend. I just nod, my first attempt of communication with Dr. Luke.

"I understand," he says casually. For some reason, this angers me. _How could he understand me? Has someone who meant everything to him been so close to dying? I don't think so._ I throw the bedsheet over my head. _I'm done with this. _I tried to communicate, but look where that got me. Angered beyond belief.

I wait for him to anger me further, but my ears are meant with silence for what must be a minute. Then the sund of him getting up, leaving and closing the door behind him. He did what I wanted him to do. Not what I expected, but what I wanted.

This psychology stuff confuses me.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Oh my gosh, so sorry for the lack of chapters this week. It's tech week for my school's play, and we've been working like crazy for hours every day. Here's your chapter.

Chapter 18

_**Willow's P.O.V.**_

The next day, Dr. Luke comes back. To my dismay, it appears that he's brought his clipboard. If he wants to ask me more questions, then good luck to him.

"Good morning," he greets me. I blink. He clears his throat. "Willow, I have officially diagnosed you with depression." Everything about his tone of voice suggests disappointment.

I don't know why he's telling me this. I don't even care. He doesn't know me. He shouldn't make an effort to, either. I just want him to leave.

"You're probably wondering what this means."

_Not in the slightest._

"We're going to put you on a different set of medications. You'll also be observed and accompanied at all times, starting tomorrow."

I hug my knees to my chest. _Great. One more thing to worry about._

"Listen to me. I'm going to ask you a few questions. I don't ask that you open up to me. I ask that you cooperate." He looks at his clipboard. "First, tell me what you're thinking about."

I squeeze my eyes shut. I can picture the words. Why can't I say them? "Al," I finally tell him. "Take me to see Al."

He looks at me regrettably. "Willow, you know I can't do that. Not until your nose heals."

I touch my nose. _I'm fine, please, just let me see him,_ I try to plead, but I can't make myself talk again. I hide myself under the blanket, pitying myself.

"Fine, I'll leave," he says, and I hear him stand up. "Take one pill every four hours, and I'll leave the bottle on the table." He leaves. I uncover myself and stare at the bottle.

My name is on it, along with a huge mass of words probably describing what's inside. I open it up and tip it onto my hand. A plump red pill falls onto my palm. I don't know what prompts me to do this, but I wrap the pill in a tissue and toss it into the trash can next to me.

I feel exhausted, but can't bring myself to sleep. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and let my bare toes touch the cool, refreshing tile. Before I can think my decision through, I'm running through the hallway in a blue Erudite outfit I'd "borrowed" from my room's closet. I silently thank the person whi left it there and head over to the help center on my floor.

"Can I help you?" the employee asks me. I temporarily ignore his question to scan the desktop. Not a single paper or folder in sight. Only a computer, facing outward for the general public to use. I lift my hand in a slight salute to the man and grab the computer mouse.

To my luck, the medical rooms directory program is already open. As fast as possible, I scroll though the seemingly endless names. Until I find _him_. Then I continue my mad dash down the hallways of the hospital.

I've mentioned it before, as I will mention it now. I hate hospitals. They're just filled with the smell of disinfectant and medication. Every room you pass makes you feel guilty whether you have anything to do with the incident or not. I try to ignore these thoughts as I near the room number that was next to Al's name. I don't have to look far to know I've gotten the right one; Christina is anxiously sitting outside on a chair.

I don't have time to back away before she spots me. "Willow," she calls, gesturing to join her. I pretend not not notice the slight quiver in her voice and reluctantly sit down next to her. The door to the room in front of us is closed.

Christina looks me up and down. "You're not supposed to be here," she tells me. I stare ahead, neither confirming nor denying the statement. I wait for her to call security or something to get me back where I belong, but she just sighs and leans back into her chair. "It's okay, I would've done the same thing if I had to be locked up in this madhouse."

This somehow causes me to think. My nose isn't bandaged, and it hasn't been a cause of pain for a while. It's healed. _So why are they keeping me in that room?_ Because I'm "depressed"? I don't think so. I was only diagnosed yesterday or early today. _Oh God, I don't even know what time of day it is._ I shake the thought out of my head to concentrate. _They would keep me hidden away if..._ They're trying to hide something.

"Um, can't you talk?" Christina asks.

"What's happening to Al?" I question forcefully, leaping up from my chair.

"He's fine," she replies blankly, with no emotion whatsoever.

"I thought you remembered I was Candor."

She sighs. "Okay, okay. Al's been in extensive care for a while now, and the doctors are saying it's a miracle he survived."

A wave of relief washes over me, although I know there's more. "But?" I prompt.

"But," she repeats, not looking me in the eye, "he's still unconscious. In a coma."

It feels like my heart collapses into my stomach. I sit down again, my relief crushed by this terrible news. "Is he..." The end of my sentence trails off.

"They don't know. All we can do is hope and pray."

_It's all my fault. I should have made him leave. If he hadn't been there, the bar would have hit me... And I would have been in less pain thhan I am right now._


	19. Chapter 19

AN- Sorry I took so long to post this.

Chapter 19

_**Willow's P.O.V.**_

The past few days were no more than a blur. Taking medication (reluctantly), nasty but edible hospital food, and finally, the decision that I'll be allowed to go home. As soon as Dr. Luke told me the news, I leaped out of the hospital bed and started sprinting down the hallway. No goodbyes for him.

I then got ready by taking my first shower this week and started on my way back to the hospital to check on Al.

Right now, it's noon. The door to Al's hospital room is still closed, and the chairs outside are still as uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I continue waiting.

Every once in a while, a nurse or doctor goes through the door and sends me an odd look. I try to ignore it and focus on the task at hand; waiting.

One hour.

Two.

I don't care how long I've been here. I have to keep waiting, though I feel myself drifting away...

"Willow!" Flora yells through the thick cloud of sleep.

I scream in response, jolting myself upward, nearly knocking over the chair.

"You haven't responded to my texts and your parents said I could find you here," she tells me. She then throws an unsure glance at the door. "Are you okay? About-"

"Yeah, it's fine," I lie. "Why are you here?"

"Whoa there. I just wondered if you wanted to come hang out with us. You look like you need a break, and to get your mind off of things."

I look away from the door, which I hadn't realised my eyes were locked on. "Um," I say, "I don't want to leave him right now."

"Oh, come _on_," she pleads. "Things aren't the same without you, and Al's gonna be fine. Just for an hour? Please?"

I stand up. She thinks she can just barge into this and separate me from Al? No. I'm done with this. "You," I say, pointing at her, "are one terrible human being. I'm not leaving, so just let it go."

"Willow, you need to let _him_ go. This whole thing is consuming you, and I just want to save you from the pain." Looking at her facial expression, I can tell she didn't mean it as an insult, but I can't help but take it as one.

"Leave," I say, stepping towards her. "Go hang out with your friends while I just sit here and have a pity party for myself, refusing to believe that Al's going to die!"

"Oh my God, I didn't mean it like that." She looks at her shoes, then back up at me. "You've been through so much recently, Willow, and I gotta give you creds for that. What you had with Al was something special, and I need to appreciate that. I know you want to wait for him, but you really need to rest."

I nod, somewhat reluctantly. She continues.

"Let's get you back to your apartment, and then we'll check back tomorrow."

"Okay."

-PAGE-BREAK-

I awake to the sound of my phone ringing. No, that can't be right, I turned it off. It could only be ringing if it was a call from the Dauntless Authorities.

Though it's midnight, I leap out of my bed and dart over to where I'd set my phone. Call from Dauntless Medical Center. _Nonononono,_ I think, picking up the phone. With a shaking voice I say, "Hello?"

"Hello, Willow. This is nurse Laura from the Dauntless Medical Center. I am calling to inform you of some news we have been informed to tell you."

"What?" I manage to choke.

"Albert has awakened and will be prepared for visitors later today."

My heart stops, and unexplainable relief floods through my veins. Not wanting to waste a word, I hang up. I could try to get some sleep until the morning, but there's no way that's happening. I take the longest shower possible to waste time and get dressed, but even now it's just 1 a.m.

I decide to tell the news to Flora, and dial her number. When she doesn't pick up, I just run down the hallway to her apartment and pound on the door.

"What?" she questions upon opening the door.

"I got a call from the hospital," I tell her blankly.

Her face falls. "Oh, Willow, I'm so sorry..."

"Wow, you really did think he was gonna die."

She looks confused for a moment, before exclaiming, "He's awake?"

"Yup. And we're going to see him today."


	20. Chapter 20

AN- Sorry I took so long to post this. And, to anyone who's read The Fault in Our Stars, I apologise in advance for the abundance of the word "okay". And also, sorry for overusing italics.

This is not the last chapter.

Chapter 20

_**Willow's P.O.V.**_

We end up getting there earlier than we're supposed to. I had thought that that would be best, but now I'm not so sure. Nervous and excited energy is pulsing through my veins, and I can't quite control it.

"Willow?" Flora asks. "You're shaking."

I look down at my hands. She's right. I'm quivering like a leaf. "Sorry." I try to sit still for the next few minutes, but I cant help it. Every moment I find myself pointlessly running my fingers through my hair or biting a fingernail. Finally, I just clasp my hands together and wait.

Every second feels like an hour, so significant and torturous. Why can't they just let me see him _now_? I look down to see my foot tapping against the cold tile floor. I give up on trying to cease my fidgeting and focus on the questions in my head.

_Will Al have any permanent damage to carry with him throughout his whole life?_ Oh, God, I hope not. It would be more than a shame to lose something important just because he was trying to save me. Which brings me to the question...

_Is this my fault?_ Yes. Of that I have no doubt. I should have insisted upon his leave. I could have avoided the torture I'm going through right now.

But it doesn't matter. He's going to be okay. _He's going to be okay._ Okay.

My eyes lock on the doorknob before me, willing it to open. I don't know how long I stare, but it suddenly moves, jolting to the right with a barely perceptible _click._ I blink. The door opens, and a doctor exits, closing the door behind him.

"Hello," he says gently, his lips in a slight smile. _Okay, that's a good sign._ "One of you must be Willow, the young woman we had contacted regarding Albert."

"That's me," I say, standing up. "Can I visit him now?"

The doctor chuckles. "Yes, of course. I would just like to inform you of your friend's condition."

"She's his girlfriend," Flora interrupts. I don't have time to laugh at the sudden remark, I just want to hear what is to be said.

"Albert has no memory of the incident of which he was injured. It has been said that his amnesia could possibly reach beyond the injury, but that would be extremely uncommon. We are waiting for the results of the brain scan to determine that."

_Amnesia?!_ But just of the injury. No other permanant damage. "Okay," I tell the doctor, my voice shaking slightly.

He steps aside, gesturing with his arm for me to enter.

"Go ahead," Flora says.

My hand rests upon the knob. It feels strange in my hand; cold yet warm; familiar but alien; bitter but sweet. I've been waiting too long do do this, but suddenly I can't. I am frozen.

My hand turns the knob. I hold my breath, pushing open the door before I can convince myself to do otherwise.

I knew Al would be okay. But somehow, seeing him now, seeing him here, is an unexplainable sense of relief. Because, I know, he's okay.

He's looking to his left, at a screen displaying what I assume calculates the beating of his heart. He watches as the green squiggle moves, up and down.

His forehead is consumed with a gray-looking bruise, and even from far away, stitches are evident. But those are not what I see. I see him_._ And he turns his head. And he sees _me_.

For a moment I fear I might fall to the floor. It feels like I am suspended in midair, by a tiny invisible string. I can't say anything. I blink.

One corner of his mouth turns up in a tiny attempt at a smile. "Hello," he says, his voice hoarse, yet clear. I almost laugh. _Hello? Just 'hello?' After all this time?_

I smile in response. "Hi."

He tilts his head slightly. "Do I know you?"

The tiny string snaps, and I am falling. But I know I can't be, because I am standing, and having a conversation with Al, who must know who I am. It's probably a joke.

But I know it isn't. Because he wouldn't joke about this. The doctor's words echo in my head. _His amnesia could possibly reach beyond the injury, but that would be extremely uncommon._

Uncommon, eh? What a cruel joke.

I feel like I'm choking on air. I must not be able to hide my devastated expression, because Al picks up on it. "Uh, are you alright?"

I shake my head, and for a second I think I might tell him, tell him who I am, tell him who _we_ are. But that's before I think. I love him. I'm glad I can finally admit that. But does he love me now? _No_.

I don't want to tie him down to me. I want him to make the decision on his own. "I'm just here to... pick up these files." I reach for a green folder next to me.

I do all I can to stop a tear from streaming down my face as I turn to him. "It was enchanting to meet you."

The door makes a painful sound as it closes behind me.


	21. Epilogue

Chapter 21 (epilogue)

_**Willow's P.O.V.**_

It's been a week since Al woke up. I've convinced myself not to regret my decision, but the more I try to forget him, the more I remember him. His confidence, his smile...

It's today that I realize that letting go isn't the same as forgetting. I can remember without tearing myself apart over my decisions.

Because I want to remember the story.

I want to remember _us_.

My fingers fly across the keyboard as the words appear on the screen; _The choosing ceremony is always dead silent once the announcer asks for questions..._

_Three Years Later_

_**Al's P.O.V.**_

The doctors had said I was incredibly lucky to have remembered as much as I did, but I still felt like there was something missing. A blurry abyss of which I could not restore.

Since then, I have only partially forgotten about the void in my memories. I'm living the normal Dauntless life now.

I hear a knock on my door and get up to open it. To my surprise, the door opens to Willow. I'd met her two years ago, because my mother is good friends with hers. We have become friends in the time between then and now. I'd want to be closer with her, but it always feels like she's hiding something painful. She tries to hide it, but I can see the barely perceptable discomfort in her eyes occasionally.

Willow's holding a stack of papers in her hands. "I need to talk to you, Al," she says, looking at her shoes.

"Quite a script, I'm guessing."

She looks up at me, and I know that this is no joke. Her eyes hold mine for an eternity.

"Why don't you come in?" I say, finally tearing myself away. She sits on the living room chair, and I sit on the one next to her. "Okay, what is it?"

She sighs, and for a second I think she might be holding back tears, but her voice seems steady. "Al, I wanted to stay out of your way. I truly did. I thought it would be best for us..."

"What are you talking about?"

Willow tosses the stack of papers at me, standing up. "Getting to know you a second time has been a privilege. I don't want anything more than for you to know what we were." She takes a step towards the door. "Please, just read it."

After she leaves, I stare at the stack of papers in my hands. My eyes run along the words, my fingers flipping pages. _Could it be? _As much as I try to convince myself otherwise, I can't. The images; they're so vivid. And I know, without an explanation, that the void has vanished.

*Page Break*

"Willow!" I call after her. She stops walking, but doesn't turn to face me like the rest of the Dauntless around us upon my yell. I run to catch up with her, and when she looks at me with her beautiful eyes, I'm sure of what I'm about to do. Because I remember. "I'm sorry for putting you through so much pain, Willow," I say, taking her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't remember. I'm sorry I left you."

She shakes her head. "No. I'm sorry, Al. For putting your life in danger. That's why I wanted you to forget. You deserve so much more." She pulls one of her hands away to wipe away a tear. "I'm sorry I told you about us. I should have let you forget..."

"If you'd let me forget, I would've never forgiven you. Because I want you in my life, forever and always."

Author's Note: What a journey this story has been! Naturally, I need to thank my readers, and, of course, followers and favoriters (dat word tho)! You've given me the strength to continue writing this! I hope you enjoyed this story! And even if you didn't, you can let me know as well. I welcome critics! I can also take suggestions or whatever else you want to talk to me about. I hope this story felt as real to you as it felt to me.


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